Louver forming apparatus



Dec l2 1961 J. H. WILLIAM LOUVER FORMING s JR 3,012,593 I APPARATU Flled Nov. 18, 1958 s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|||l|||| James H. WIIiams,Jr.

JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1961 J, H. WILLIAMS, JR 3,012,593

L'oUvER FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 James H. Willia Jr.

IN1/ENT BY Z ATTORNEY 3,012,593 LOUVER FURMING APPARATUS James H. Williams, Jr., 3115 Osborne Road, Greensboro, N.C. Filed Nov. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 774,749 3 Claims. (Cl. 144-288) The present invention relates to an apparatus for fabricating and constructing louver windows and ventilators and relates more particularly to an adjustable framing apparatus for measuring, fabricating and assembling louver windows and ventilators.

It is conventional practice in the manufacturing of louver windows and ventilators for homes and other buildings that each louver window or ventilator be custom constructed to correspond with the roof pitch and that each individual slat member be properly measured and cut depending upon its relative position in the louver, after which the louver may be assembled by placing each slat in its proper position and at the proper inclined angle. The resulting louver window made under the present painstaking methods is, at best, a rather crudely constructed and assembled unit lacking uniformity and the requisite accuracy for the mitered slat members to be a credit to a master craftsman. It is recognized, however, that given the requisite time a carpenter may construct a quality louver window, however, the cost of fabrication and assembly is prohibitive despite the fact that the louver windows may be mass produced.

Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide an apparatus which will facilitate the measurement, cutting, fabrication and assembling of a louver window or ventilator.

Another objective of this invention is the provision of an adjustable jig or template to facilitate the measurement and construction of a louver window and the like with means for supporting the individual side frame members forming the perimeter of the louver window and supporting the louver at the requisite angle to provide uniformity in the finished louver window construction.

Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a louver forming apparatus in which a multiplicity of louver sizes may be fabricated and in which the means for modifying the size or pitch angle of the louver window may be readily modified without disassembling the apparatus.

A further objective of this invention is the provision of a louver forming apparatus in which the louver slat members may be aligned and supported at the requisite angle and nailed in position without manipulating the louver window once the components are placed in position on the louver forming apparatus.

A still further objective of this invention is to produce a uniform louver window at a minimum expense and provide uniformity to each of the windows constructed on the apparatus.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention relating to an apparatus for forming uniform louver windows and ventilators will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

PIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a louver framing apparatus embodying the inventive concept in which several slat members and side frame members are positioned within the adjustable triangularly shaped louver frame;

FIG. 2 is a reduced partial plan View of the louver framing apparatus shown in FIG. l with the side frame members and louver slat members removed therefrom;

Patented Dec. 12, 1961 FIG. 3 is an end elevational View of a clamping member for retaining the side frame members of a louver window in position on the apparatus side frame guide rails;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a stud mounted in the side frame rails to support a louver window side frame member in position;

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view taken substantially along the plane of line 5--5 of FIG. 2 illustrating the adjustable connection at the apex joint connecting the side frame member guide rails;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view, with portions removed, presenting an auxiliary supporting framework for assembling rectangularly shaped louver windows with means for supporting individual louver slat members at an angle; and

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown therein a louver forming apparatus having a lower triangularly-shaped framework 10, formed from angle iron or the like, and welded or otherwise secured together at the corners 12, 13 and 14, with the framework 10 being supported from the ground at a suitable level by means of vertical stanchions or posts 15 which are threadably fastened at their lower ends to iloor flanges 16 that may be securely fastened to the floor.

A central indexing and positioning channel rail 17 perpendicularly bisects the triangular framework 10 and is fastened to the base rail 18 in some suitable manner at one end thereof and to the corner 12 of the two side rails 21 and 22. The indexing rail 17 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 23, each of which openings is uniformly spaced from the other openings or selectively spaced from the other openings depending upon the use or size of the louver windows to be fabricated, with each of the openings being provided to receive therein a positioning plunger rod 41, the purpose of which is to be described hereinafter.

A plurality of aligning strips 25 are laterally spaced and secured in some suitable manner on either side of the indexing rail 17 and parallel thereto, reaching from the base rail to the side rails 21 or 22. rlhe individual guide strips 25 are preferably inscribed with suitable -aligning spaced markings 26 -to facilitate positioning of the individual louver slats placed thereon during the assembling of a louver window. y

A saddle plate 28 is mounted, as by welding, adjacent to the base angles of the triangularly-shaped framework 10, at the lcorners 13 and 14, to support a post 29, by suitable fastening means, on which post there is pivotally mounted, in spaced Vertical relation, a pair of guide bar supporting cleats 3o, each of which cleats is suitably recessed to slidably support a louver rail guide bar 31 through the recesses which are aligned with each other. Locking engagement and release of the guide bar 31 will be electuated by means of the threadably engaged knob 32 on the post 29 so as to clamp the cleats to the bar thereby locking the bar in position. Each guide bar 31 supports a side frame louver rail 33 or 34, each of which rail has the horizontal portion 35 and a vertical portion 36. The louver rails 33 and 34E are positioned on the lower frame 10 and are secured to a guide bar 3 1 by means of fastening bolts 37 or other suitable means. A spacer element 19 between the guide bar 31 and the back face of the angle iron side frame rail spaces the two sufficiently to permit slidable movement of the guide bar in the cleats 30 in the unlocked position.

The louver side frame rails 34 and 35 are mitered at one end of each and are assembled to converge at the one end to be pivotally connected together through the hinge member 38 which is fastened by suitable fastening means to the ends of the louver rails. Suitably mounted in the hinge member 38 about the joint is a plungerrod housing 40 which may be an integral part of the hinge joint with the hinge pin serving as the plunger rod 4l that is guided by the upper bearing 42 and the lower portion of the hinge 43, both of which may be parts of the hinge member. The hinge portion 43 is also provided with an enlarged cylindrical bore 44 for receiving therein a compression spring 45 that normally urges the lower end 46 of the plunger rod downwardly into one of the openings or holes 23 in the indexing channel rail 17. The upper end of the plunger rod 41 is pivotally connected through the pin 50 to a handle 47 having a plunger rod raising camming lobe 48 and a plunger lowering lobe 52. In the vertical position of the handle 47, as shown in FIGS. 1, and 6, the plunger rod end 46 will be urged by the spring into a selected opening 23 in the indexing rail. In this position the ilat portion 52 of the handle will engage the upper surface of the bearing 42. Upon pivoting the handle 47 rearwardly or clockwise, as shown in FIG. 6, the plunger rod 41 will be elevated by means of the camming lobe 48 to disengage the plunger rod end 46 from within the opening 23.

Depending upon the size of the louver window, the louver supporting rails 33 and 34 may be oriented to any desired included angle between the rails by positioning the plunger rod in a selected opening 23 in the indexing rail and thereby displacing the hinge member of the guide rails toward or away from the base rail 1S. By reintroducing or releasing the end of the plunger rod to a selected opening in the indexing rail, depending upon the desired size and included angle of the louver window to be fabricated, the rails maybe releasably locked in position.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a louver window is being constructed in which the side frame members 55 and 56 are positioned within and supported on the horizontal portions of the louver guide rails 33 and 34, after the top or apex 57 of the louver side frame members have been suitably mitered or cut. The individual louver slat members 58, 59 and 60 have also been pre-cut in accordance with either a schedule established for pre-cutting the individual slat members, depending upon the size and angle of the louver window, or by measuring each slat member individually on the framework after which the slats are placed in position on the framework with the lower edges of the louver slat members being aligned so as to coincide approximately with the inscribed markings 26 on the guide strips 25.

In order to clamp the side rail members 55 and 56 in position on the louver rails 33 and 34, a U-shaped clamp 62 is employed as shown in FIG. 3. A handle 64 is pivotally supported on the U-shaped member 65 with one end of the handle being provided with a camming surface 65 for engaging the side frame member 56 and clamping it into engagement with the vertical wall of the louver guide rail. By rotating the handle 64 counterclockwise the clamp will be released from locking engagement as the camming portion 65 which exerts pressure against the outer surface of the rail will release the louver member.

Spaced longitudinally along the vertical walls of the louver side frame rail members is a plurality of projecting pointed studs 66, each of which are threadably retained in the vertical walls of the rail members so as to project and pierce into the side frame members thereby retaining each one more securely in position on the louver rail members during the nailing or linal assembly operation.

In operation, after determining the requisite size and pitch of the louver window to be constructed, the side rails 33 and 34 are positioned initially by raising the plunger rod 41 and placing the plunger rod end 46 into the requisite opening 23 in the channel rail which will produce the desired pitch angle. It will be apparent that suitable indicia may be placed adjacent each of the openings 23 to present or indicate the pitch angle to be formed by the positioning of the side rails. The guide rail locking knobs 32, which are initially in the unclamped position, are then turned to clamp, through the cleats 30, the guide bars 31 in the requisite position on the louver frame in order to lock the side frame rails in position. Either by inscribing the individual louver components on the apparatus or by means of suitable computed tables corresponding to the position of the side frame rail members, the individual slats may be cut after measurement by a disk saw or other cutting means. The side frame members after being cut are clamped by means of the clamps 62 to the rails and the individual slats which are precut to the proper angle determined by the included angle formed between the side rail members, the slats are placed successively in the correct position and aligned with the markings 26 along the guide strips with each of the slat members being nailed in position to the side frame members while the individual slats are frictionally maintained in position on the frame. The pitch of the individual slat members may vary as desired and the ends of the individual slats may be cut utilizing a miter box, template or an indexable tiltable motor driven saw.

A pair of louver slat supporting guides 70, constituting two individual units, may be securely fastened in parallel laterally spaced relation to the louver frame 1D with each guide reaching between the base rail 18 and the intermediate rail 85, after the guide rail members 33 and 34 have been displaced to a suitable position so as to permit the louver frame guides to be mounted on the lower frame. The guides are each provided with au L-shaped clamp 82 that is fastened by a bolt 83 to the guide so as to engage the intermediate rail at one position. The guide reaches forwardly to releasably engage the rail 18 by means of the clamping washer 78 which encircles the threaded stud 79 secured to the guide and on which the knob Si) will threadably secure the washer against the rail 18.

Each guide 70 is provided with an angle iron 72 having a side web 75 and a base web 76, and to the base web 76 is fastened, by means of boltiug 77, a louver supporting fence 79. The fence 79 has uniformly spaced projecting fins 81, each of which is angularly positioned with intermediate louver receiving recesses 85. The orientation of the fins will depend upon the desired inclination of the individual louver slats 88.

In the construction of a rectangularly shaped louver Window or ventilator, the guides 70 are clamped on the lower frame 10 and the side frame members 90, of the louver window, are cut to the requisite length and are placed in the elongated recess formed between the fence 79 and the side web 75 in the angle iron 72 which form the side walls of the individual guides for receiving the side frame of the louver. Individual slat members 88 are cut and positioned in the recesses 85 of the fence and nailed or suitably fastened to the side frame members 90. The top and bottom members of the louver may be cut and fastened to the other assembled components of the louver window after the assembled louver is removed from the guide.

It will be readily apparent that the various positions and angles in which the side frame rails may be positioned will depend upon the positioning of the openings 23 in which the plunger rod is introduced and the desired inclination of the individual slats of the louver may be modified. Normally in the construction of the louver utilizing this apparatus, a circular saw may be set to cut the various angles of the individual louver slats and the individual louver slats are measured directly on the apparatus or by means of a set of tables corresponding to the pitch of the louver window to be fabricated. After the individual louver components are cut to length they may be placed on the louver apparatus framework and clamped in position preparatory for the nailing operation for the individual slat members.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made in the means for supporting the side frame guide rails as well as the means for positioning the guide rails on the lower frame without departing from the real spirit and purpose of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims many modied forms of the present inventive concept as well as the use of mechanical equivalents may be reasonably included and modifications are contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. A louver forming apparatus comprising a pair of linearly-extending side frame rails pivotally connected to each other adjacent to one end of each rail with the rails extending divergently from each other, a base framework for supporting the side frame rails thereon, guide bars secured to the free ends of said side frame rails, means mounted on the base framework for pivotally and slidably supporting said guide bars, and means for releas- `ably locking said guide bars in a selected position.

2. A louver forming apparatus comprising a pair of linearly-extending side frame rails pivotally connected to each other adjacent to one end of each rail with the rails extending divergently from each other, a hase framework for supporting the side frame rails thereon, guide bars secured to the free ends of said side frame rails, means mounted on the oase framework for pivotally and slidably supporting said guide bars, and means on the base framework for aligning individual louver slats reaching between they side frame rails.

3. A louver forming apparatus comprising a pair of linearly-extending side frame rails pivotaily connected to each other adjacent to one end of each rail with the rails extending divergently from each other, a base framework for supporting the side frame rails thereon7 guide bars secured to the free ends of said side frame rails, means mounted on the base framework for pivotally and slidably supporting said guide bars, means for releasably locking said guide bars in a selected position, and means mounted on the side frame rails adjacent their pivotal connection for releasably locking said side frame rails to the base framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15,053 Wood June 3, 1856 646,243 Walsh Mar. 27, 1900 1,807,237 De Postels May 26, 1931 2,305,124 Wilson et al Dec. 15, 1942 2,787,825 Holiday Apr. 9, 1957 2,803,276 Bobo et al. Aug. 20, 1957 2,870,531 Hudson Jan. 27, 1959 

